War of the Worlds

Dates and Tickets

Performances were held at the Murray E Nelson Government Government and Cultural Center in Key Largo, located at 102050 Overseas Highway (mm102 on the Bay Side) Show dates are as follows for February 2018.

February 8th, @ 7:30 pm (Thursday – OPENING NIGHT)

February 9th, @ 7:30pm (Friday)

February 10th @ 7:30pm (Saturday)

February 15th 7:30pm (Thursday)

February 17th @ 7:30pm (Saturday)

February 18th @ 2:00pm (Sunday – MATINEE)

Show Description

The War of the Worlds would become the most famous radio show in history and be known forever as the panic broadcast. It all began a little past 8pm on Sunday, October 30th, 1938 when an estimated 32 million people (according to the Crosley service) people tuned in to listen. It was devils night, mischief night, the eve of Halloween and this show turned into one big “scare” for America just as director Orson Welles intended. The radio show and the stories of that night would haunt American households for generations to come.

This Key Players production of this radio broadcast uses original radio scripts from the 1938 Orson Welles directed event. The cast portrays the multitude of on-air characters changing voices (and in this case outfits too for visuals) along with creating the many eire sounds of battle and alien spaceships from inside the Mercury Radio Studio in New York City (on stage).

To compliment the show, additional skits written by director/producer Jonelle Kopp to depict scenes of New Jersey families close to the initial alien landing listening to and being “fooled” by the broadcast. Watch how it impacted families and see how some took matters into their own hands before they learned it was just a radio play. See the struggles and decisions these families faced just as many real families did in America at the time.

So join us at the Murray Nelson Center this February to be entertained for the evening (or afternoon) and learn exactly what did happen on this night in American history. Witness how the show sounds were produced and hear the voices on the actors reading characters depicted in the original broadcast. Understand why americans took this broadcast so seriously. Let’s take a trip to 1938 and see (and listen) to radio history.

Performance

Catch this two minute video showcasing a few of the scenes in Act I. Enjoy and come see the show.

Also sharing some images from the early performance and dress rehearsal. Images special thanks to the KeysWeekly.

Thank You from the Key Players

A special thank you from the entire cast and crew of War of the Worlds to all who attended and to those who supported the show including our sponsors. Thank you. We appreciated the opportunity to perform for so many people and love the fact so many came out to be entertained and watch a piece of radio history done Keys style.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

That’s all she wrote… Thank you.

Press Coverage

Check out our article in the Florida Keys Free Press on January 31 starting on 1B and continuing to page 5B. See full story > here

Check out the article in the February 2018 The Conch Republic Coconut Telegraph on page 15. See the full story > here

Check out the cover story in the february 8th Keys Weekly. See full story on page 9 > here.

Florida Keys Free Press

Conch Republic Coconut Telegraph

Cover Story in upper Keys Weekly

Rehearsal

The Key Players rehearsals are taking place at the Key Largo Lions Club Monday and Wednesday evenings until we move into the Murray Nelson Theater on February 3rd. Here is a view into some of the rehearsals.